Special Opinion - Yeah, I miss him

Yeah, I miss him

Special Opinion

By Bob Robinson

Oct. 30, 2010

Over the years I’ve given former Pres. G.W. Bush a hard time over his Compassionate Conservatism. I understand why he coined it when he ran in 2000 but I believed then it would get him into trouble.

And it did. At least from my perspective. The Medicare Prescription Program and NCLB did little to help address the real problems yet cost the taxpayers a ton of money… at federal, state and local levels.

Instead of bringing parts of the “left” into his camp he lost much of his conservative base.

I also believe poor decisions and lousy public relations helped turn a supportive public into a disenchanted one on the War on Terror being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However there are three things for which he will always hold my respect and admiration.

I am thankful he was our leader in our Hours of Need following Sept. 11, 2001. There are few presidents in the past I would rather have had at the helm during the chaos and pain that followed.

I believe he was a responsible fiscal officer in the years prior to the Democratic takeover of Congress. Unfortunately, in the face of the spending increases that followed he forgot his power of veto.

Finally, he was – and is – a man of admirable character. He remained true to his faith and his beliefs even as he was targeted and ridiculed by those who hated him. What’s more, he has maintained his presidential stature for the two years he has been targeted and ridiculed by the current power structure.

Yes, he’s a better man than I could ever hope to be.

And yeah, I miss him.

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive a daily notification of items posted, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.